5 Fun Facts About Medical Cannabis That You Never Knew

Cannabis has always been very popular for recreational use. In fact, it is thought to be the most commonly used illicit drug on the planet. However, in recent years its use for medicinal purposes is what has gained much attention in the press. Some studies have found it to be remarkably effective on illnesses, diseases and conditions such as chronic pain, epilepsy and Parkinson’s Disease. For this reason, the general public are becoming more curious about cannabis by the day. So we thought we’d share with you 5 fun facts that you might not be aware of.

There’s More Than One Kind of Cannabis

Cannabis has three identified strains each one of them has different effects on our body:

Cannabis Indica is the one that gives the effect of deep body relaxation. That’s why it’s ideal for meditation.

Cannabis Sativa is the one that causes more of an energizing experience and so it’s known to stimulate.

Cannabis Ruderalis is the one that was quite infamous among the three since it’s recognized to have naturally low concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) that probably made it less enjoyable to use. However it can withstand various weather conditions which makes it much easier to grow.

It’s Good For Your Brain

The idea that cannabis kills your brain cells originated back in the 70s as a scare campaign when an experiment involving inhaling marijuana killed a monkey’s brain cells and finally resulted in its death. However, the study was hugely problematic. The monkey suffered from a total lack of oxygen while being suffocated by the smoke so of course it died. This made the analysis unreliable. Contradictory to earlier assumptions, more recent studies have suggested that medical cannabis can give some help to our brains as it interacts with the Endocannabinoid System which influences neurotransmission.

In fact, someone would have had to smoke over 1’500 pounds of marijuana in about 15 minutes to die from an overdose. It means that death from marijuana overdose is out of the question. Another is that marijuana can increase the heart rate, so it will not affect those who are unfavorably suffering from heart disease.

It Can Fuel Cell Growth

Neurogenesis is the term given to the growth of new cells in the brain. Dr. Xia Zhang of the University of Saskatchewan, one of Canada’s top research universities suggests that medical cannabis, also called medical marijuana, can have a positive impact on neurogenesis. This means that it could promote brain health rather than decrease it as we’ve all been led to believe for so long. More study is needed in this specific area, but the results do look very promising so far.

It’s Historic

We may not have the awareness, but cannabis has a lot of history behind it. For example:

The Mayflower Ship that famously transported the Pilgrims from Plymouth to the New World in 1620 used hemp fiber for its ropes, sails and caulking.

The paper where the first two drafts of the Declaration of Independence were written was made from the hemp.

Elizabeth Griscom “Betsy” Ross’s first US flag was made from hemp fiber.

The seeds of the cannabis plant were used as a food source as early as 6000 BC in China.

It was popular with royalty. In 2737 BC, it was first used as a healing drug for rheumatism and gout by Chinese Emperor Shen Nung.

A bag of marijuana was the first item ever sold over the internet by some Stanford students using the Arpanet (early version of the internet) to buy from their counterparts at MIT over 40 years ago.

Cannabis is More Than it May Seem

In addition to the recreational and medicinal use of cannabis, there are a huge number of other uses for the plant that you probably never knew.

Clothes: Made from hemp fiber

Building Supplies: Hempcrete- it looks like just another version of hollow blocks

Paper: Although this is not usual for commercial production because of its high cost

Jewelry: From anklets to necklaces

Plastic: We can recycle it as well, and it even degrades faster than other plastics

Soil and Water Purifier: Cannabis can clear impurities like sewage effluent, excessive phosphorus from chicken litter, and other chemicals

Weed Killer: Prevents the pooling of weed seeds in the soil because of its height and density

Cosmetic Products: Conditioner, herbal moisturizer and body butter made from hemp are becoming more popular every day.

Medical cannabis may be controversial and there are a huge number of misconceptions about it among the general population today. But we still cannot deny the fact that it has some impressive medicinal properties which have enormous potential to be used in the treatment of countless diseases, illness and conditions in the future. Yes, there is still a lot to discover more from this miracle plant. But all of the results so far are extremely encouraging.

The haphazard legal status of the drug across the United States has made its study difficult for researchers. It’s frustrating that research is slowed as a result. But more and more states are legalizing the drug for recreational and medicinal use, so we can be hopeful that research prospects will improve. This, in turn, could lead to major shifts in the way we treat some of the most serious diseases on the planet.

In the meantime, raising awareness about cannabis and all of its wonders is the best we can do.

Niamh Tumilty is a Multimedia writer from Ireland who is evaluating the continued growth of CBD and its presence in the news. As an experienced journalist, she wants to ensure the public has access to the latest information in this area.